System and method for weight management of one or more pets

Abstract

A system and method is described for determining, based on one or more variables, the appropriate amount of food to dispense in order to implement weight management individually tailored to one or more pets. Based on the one or more variables, a predefined weight of food is determined that should be dispensed in a container during a given time interval. If the current weight of the food within the container has reached a threshold weight, then no additional food is added to the container during the given time interval. However, if it is determined that the threshold has not been reached, then more food is added to the container. The process is repeated during the given time interval until the threshold is reached, and then optionally again for additional given time intervals.

1. A system configured to dispense ingestible items to one or more pets, comprising:
 one or more processors configured to determine a predefined weight of the ingestible items to be dispensed into at least one pet food container during a given time interval based on at least one of a variable about the one or more pets and a variable about the ingestible items, wherein the at least one pet food container is configured to measure a current weight of ingestible items within the at least one pet food container; 
 the one or more processors further configured to determine whether the current weight is within a threshold weight range of the predefined weight; 
 in response to determining that the current weight is not within the threshold weight range of the predefined weight, moving means configured to move one or more ingestible items into the at least one pet food container; 
 in response to moving the one or more ingestible items into the at least one pet food container, the at least one pet food container further configured to measure a new current weight of the ingestible items within the at least one pet food container and the one or more processors further configured to determine whether the new current weight is within the threshold weight range of the predefined weight; and 
 the moving means further configured to prevent additional ingestible items from moving into the at least one pet food container during the given time interval in response to determining that the new current weight is within the threshold weight range of the predefined weight. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the variable about the ingestible items comprises a type of the ingestible items. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a memory configured to keep track of at least one of the variables, and wherein the one or more processors is further configured to adjust the predefined weight in response to a change in the variables. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the variables is pre-loaded in the memory. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a user interface configured to manually receive at least one of the variables. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one pet food container is configured as a scale. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a detector configured to grant access to the at least one pet food container in response to a first device detected within a predefined distance to the at least one pet food container, the detector further configured to prevent access to the at least one pet food container in response to the first device being undetected within the predefined distance to the at least one pet food container. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a narrowing path configured to direct the one or more ingestible items into the at least one pet food container. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a conveyer belt as the moving means configured to move the one or more ingestible items into the at least one pet food container. 
     
     
       10. A system configured to determine an amount of ingestible items to transfer to at least one pet food container, comprising:
 one or more processors configured to execute one or more processes; and 
 one or more computer memories configured to store one or more variables about the ingestible items to be transferred to the at least one pet food container, at least one of the computer memories configured to maintain one or more variables about a pet, and at least one of the computer memories configured to store a process of the one or more processes executable by the one or more processors, the process when executed operable to:
 determine a first weight of the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the at least one pet food container, wherein the first weight is determined using at least one of the one or more variables about the ingestible items and at least one of the one or more variables about the pet; 
 determine a second weight, wherein the second weight is a current weight of ingestible items previously transferred to the at least one pet food container that remain in the at least one pet food container; and 
 transfer the amount of ingestible items to the at least one pet food container during a given time interval, wherein the amount of ingestible items to be transferred to the at least one pet food container is equal to the first weight minus the second weight. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein the process when executed is further operable to adjust the first weight in response to a change in at least one of the one or more variables. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  further comprising a user interface configured to manually receive at least one of the one or more variables. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10  wherein the at least one pet food container comprises a scale configured to communicate the second weight to at least one of the one or more processors. 
     
     
       14. A system configured to determine an amount of ingestible items to transfer to a container, comprising:
 a computer configured to store at least one of a first variable about an ingestible item and a second variable about an animal that is to ingest the ingestible item; 
 wherein the computer is further configured to determine the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container, wherein the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container is determined with at least one of the first variable about the ingestible item and the second variable about the animal that is to ingest the ingestible item; 
 wherein the computer is further configured to determine that a second amount of ingestible items is left over in the container; 
 wherein the computer is further configured to adjust the amount of ingestible items to transfer by subtracting the second amount of ingestible items left over in the container from the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container; and 
 wherein the computer is further configured to transfer the adjusted determined amount of ingestible items to the container. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  wherein the second amount of ingestible items is left over from a previous feeding interval. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14  wherein the computer comprises a processor. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14  wherein the first variable about the ingestible item comprises a type of the ingestible item. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14  wherein the second variable about the animal comprises a species of the animal. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14  wherein the second variable about the animal comprises an age of the animal. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 14  wherein the computer is further configured to adjust the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container in response to a change in the second variable. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 19  wherein the computer is further configured to adjust the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container in response to a change in the age of the animal. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20  wherein the computer is configured to adjust the amount of ingestible items without user interaction in response to the change. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 14  wherein the computer comprises a scale, wherein the container comprises the scale. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of the first and second variables is pre-loaded in the computer. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 14  further comprising a user interface of the computer configured to manually receive at least one of the first and second variables. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a detector configured to grant access to the container in response to a first device detected within a predefined distance to the container, the detector further configured to prevent access to the container in response to the first device being undetected within the predefined distance to the container. 
 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 14  wherein the computer is further configured to determine the amount of ingestible items to transfer to the container according to an overriding user input. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of the first and second variables is downloaded via an internet connection.